How Straight can a stroke be?

[West Point 1987]

That's the thing...short strokes, long strokes, straight strokes, wiggles and swoops. They ALL work. Everybody has their own, they use what works for them consistently. I'm always amused by the debates over which one works best, everybody trying to tell everybody else how to stroke.

 

[RRfireblade]

You wanna see how straight your stroke is, tape a laser pointer to the end of the cue and watch what the dot does.

But like others have said, consistency is the key assuming your "crookedness" is not the primary cause of your inconsistancy.

 

[stumpie71]

As others have stated it's all about consistency. Doing the exact same thing every time. It starts with your eyes (aim) then your body (stance) and finally your arm (stroke).

I do the same drill you have posted but for other reasons. I use it to help with my aim and focus.

 

[mincho]

That's the thing...short strokes, long strokes, straight strokes, wiggles and swoops. They ALL work. Everybody has their own, they use what works for them consistently. I'm always amused by the debates over which one works best, everybody trying to tell everybody else how to stroke.

This reminds me of a friend of mine who always tries to "correct" everyone even if it happens to work for them.
The following are just a few examples of his pool mentality...

1) He'll criticize your stroke in the middle of a game immediately if you drop your elbow, even if you can stroke consistently along a straight line. It's automatically incorrect to him.

2) If he caught you using two rails instead of one, watch out. He'll let you have it because it's unnecessary and fancy.

3) He thinks using intuition for even the simplest banks is absurd; you must always use a system. He'll take a minute and think aloud, announcing his calculations, which is fine, but it's not fine to ridicule someone for NOT doing this (it wasn't very successful for him).

4) If you have the misfortune of being his partner in a game of doubles, he'll always come beside you and physically move your cue and command you where to hit it, and which ball to hit next, and which ball after that.

End rant. We're still good friends and fortunately he's toned it down some.

 

[scottjen26]

Granted, a spectator can't really tell much, but I've always made it a point to study Efren's stroke whenever possible, and I believe there's no straighter stroke out there. I've seen a lot of pro's miscue at least once...Efren ..never.

Not to disagree, I love watching Efren play and have learned a lot from his matches over the years, but he does miscue as well occasionally, everyone does at some point in time. Doesn't take away from the beauty or preciseness of his stroke or others like SVB, Neils, etc.

Scott

 

[lastminutepanic]

I think that's a good test. But the better one is to set the balls maybe a balls width + 1.5" apart, flanking the path of a straight in shot into the corner. Now set a ball PAST those balls, and try to get your OB in the pocket, and draw the CB back through the two balls flanking the shot line. That'll let you know if you're stroking the ball straight.

 

[sfleinen]

I think that's a good test. But the better one is to set the balls maybe a balls width + 1.5" apart, flanking the path of a straight in shot into the corner. Now set a ball PAST those balls, and try to get your OB in the pocket, and draw the CB back through the two balls flanking the shot line. That'll let you know if you're stroking the ball straight.

This is a GREAT test.

Another one, is this (and keep in mind, this is done on a 12-foot snooker table, the long way -- longitudinally):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oUPd6zdmCpQ

Notice that "draw" on the cue ball MAGNIFIES any off-axis hit errors, so if you can do this drill hitting low on the cue ball, and have the cue ball return back to your tip through those "ball pylons" the length of the table -- you're really cueing straight!

-Sean

 

[AtLarge]

...All of the old greats of the game, who had all of the really high runs & records, had very short strokes. ...

LAMas -- You fooled me. I thought I was reading something you wrote. Then I checked the link and found that it was written by ... no, no, no, ... I can't say it: F--- L----!!!

But, seriously, that guy did make sense once in a while. Here's my favorite quote from that piece: "If you could take my head & put it on Earl’s body, he would never ever lose another pool tournament."

 

[fan-tum]

Not to disagree, I love watching Efren play and have learned a lot from his matches over the years, but he does miscue as well occasionally, everyone does at some point in time. Doesn't take away from the beauty or preciseness of his stroke or others like SVB, Neils, etc.

Scott

I stand corrected. I may have seen him miscue, but I sure don't recall.

 

[Dave Nelson]

I know what u mean about a crooked stroke,my stroke is very straight when iam hitting the cue ball with high english,but my problem is when useing low ,i can feel the glich in my stroke when iam preparing to draw the ball and it doesnt happen all the time,about 2or3 times out of ten,just enough to not get out,but i can feel it in my last stroke(when it happens)just before hitting the qball and everytime it happens it makes me miss,i can just feel that little crookedness,rite at the end.

I suffer from this syndrome also. I think, in my case at least, it comes from feeling that I have too hit the cue ball harder too get the draw when it really is just in the stroke.

Dave Nelson